As we begin 2015, which marks the 99th year since the establishment of the National Park Service and National Park System, some troubling trends are more and more apparent. A short review of recent articles should give everyone who supports our parks reason to pause and think about the future.

The weather forecast headed into New Year's Eve called for an impressive snowstorm for some parks in the desert southwest, and Mother Nature delivered the goods. Those fortunate enough to be safely ensconced in the vicinity of Zion National Park or the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park were treated to quite a view when the clouds began to part on the first day of 2015.

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Deciding that "entrance fees at Fort Laramie" don't make sense any more, the superintendent for Fort Laramie National Historic Site in Wyoming has done away with them. So, too, has Fort Union National Monument in New Mexico.

A need to remove some hazardous trees in Cades Cove at Great Smoky Mountains National Park will require the temporary closure of the cove's loop road for a number of days this month. The road will be closed to all pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists January 6 through January 8 and January 13 through January 15.

Nearly two dozen World Heritage Sites, which have been found by the United Nations Eduational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization to offer outstanding global value for their cultural and natural resources, can be found in the United States. And the National Park Service has just made it easier to locate them.

You're procrastinating. Or have been putting it off. Or simply forgot. Whatever the case, today's the last day for you to donate to your favorite national park friends group or cooperating association and claim a 2014 tax deduction for your good deed.

A layer of snow can add a special dimension to the scenery in parks anywhere, but the contrast with colorful rock formations can be especially striking in places like Arches, Bryce Canyon and Grand Canyon National Parks. That's expected to be the case for start of the New Year in several parks in the high desert, but park officials are asking visitors to use caution—and common sense—on icy roads and trails.

Legislation appended to a half-trillion-dollar defense authorization bill will add the train station that brought President Lincoln to Gettysburg for his historic address to the national military park in 2015.

A female gray wolf, possibly one that has been spotted in recent months on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, has been shot and killed in Utah, according to a group dedicated to the protection of endangered species.

While the Delaware North Company maintains that it can claim place names in Yosemite National Park as part of its intellectual property with a $51 million value, a prominent historian of national parks disagrees and hopes the National Park Service will challenge the company's belief.